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Who Will Claim Ledger's Oscar?
Thankfully one moment of the Oscars will be less awkward than the smattering of claps over the "In Memoriam" reel. The Academy has smoothed over the difficult situation of who will accept—and claim—the late Heath Ledger's Best Supporting Actor award this Sunday, provided his heavily favored performance in The Dark Knight wins. Producers say the person who would accept the award is someone "who was close to the nominee" but remain mum on details. As to where the statue would end up, the Academy navigated a tricky situation by saying the award will go to his three-year-old daughter Matilda, but only after her 18th birthday (her mother, Michelle Williams, would be the legal custodian until then). All owners must sign a legal winner's agreement stating they won't sell the award, in order to tamp down the black market for the coveted statues.
Issywise
I, for one, walked out of that little bit of "superhero" nonsense.
For the sake of our culture, let's hope nobody in that film wins an Oscar. Such an award would be evidence of cultural decline. When one dimensional, hero fantasy movies based on kids comic books are taken as serious art, the artistic soul of movie making has been shown to be a vacuum.
Caligula's plan to make his favorite horse Incitatus a consul was proof of cultural decline in those times. Giving awards for making movies like Batman--The Dark Night is proof of cultural decline in these times.
How irrelevant and silly--indeed childish, can Hollywood get?
jimenex
I'm sorry, but I don't think you are right. You are telling me that only because the movie falls within the "superhero" camp, then it doesn't deserve an oscar? With shallow movies like Forrest Gump, Titanic, Gladiator or Braveheart winning the big award being accepted just because they are of a "comfortable" genre.
Now, I am not saying TDK is the masterpiece people say it is (I do like it, and I do think it's very good though) but it is no different thn oscar winners in the past just because of the genre it falls on. Besides, if you haven't seen it, you REALLY should, because while it is a "superhero movie" it really goes beyond that with its political commentary and works as a psychological thriller in the same caliber (to me, at least) of Silent of the Lambs.
ecm1111
Remember, this is a Best Supporting Actor award. The point isn't whether the movie is a masterpiece (it isn't), but whether Ledger's performance deserves the Oscar (it does).
Also, @Issywise - superheroes and the broader comic book/graphic novel genre offer a lot more depth than you seem to realize. Try "The Sandman" by Neil Gaiman, "Watchmen" by Alan Moore, or "Bone" by Jeff Smith. There's more to comics than wacky costumes and one-liners. On the other hand, if you're the type to walk out on things and condemn whole genres (indeed, whole art forms - both cinema and graphic novels, in your comment), you'll probably never quite get it.
navoid
@Issywise
Close minded, ignorant, and elitist is no way to go through life, son.
Watch the movie before you judge it.
This movie has crime drama at the level of LA confidential and The Departed.
In short, think before you comment. It will serve you well.
Spasticula
Say... Why not wait till the Oscars have been handed out?
Heath's performance was a bunch of lip-licking (to the point of distraction) followed by a overdose. Much ado about nothing But the Acadmey has learned recently to capitalize on reality in dispensing golden figurines.
greengirl
Awesome movie.
muirwoods
jimenex is correct. Let's see, Doonesbury vs. Gone with the Wind. HHmmmmmmmm. I think Doonesbury wins by a mile.
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